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The leader of the UK's midwives says there needs to be "a seismic shift" in the way maternity care is provided.

Cathy Warwick said there was a "concerted and calculated backlash" against home birth and midwife-led care.

In a New Year's message, the head of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), claimed maternity services were "almost near breaking point".

The Department of Health said a record 2,493 midwives are in training.

The RCM's general secretary said in her message: "We want to make sure that all women know that the choice of a home birth is available to them.

"We feel that there is a concerted and calculated backlash by sectors of the establishment against homebirth and midwife-led care.

"We are not sure what the coalition Government's position is on home birth - or whether they are honouring their pre-election promises for adequately staffed maternity services for 3,000 more midwives.

"To begin providing more home births, there needs to be a seismic shift in the way maternity services are organised.

"The NHS is simply not prepared to meet the potential demand for home births because we are still embedded in a medicalised culture.

"The recently reported drop in the home birth rate in England from 2.9 % in 2008 to 2.7% in 2009 is a real disappointment."

Speaking on BBC Radio Four on Wednesday, the midwives' leader claimed some researchers collaborated with the media to publish stories claiming home birth was less safe than hospital birth.

"We think people are comparing apples and pears," she said, adding that it was not possible to compare services in the UK with those in other countries.

"Women should speak to midwives and ask them about evidence relating to their own circumstances, and be allowed to make an informed choice," she said.

Difficult

Wales has a higher rate of home births at almost 4%, after ministers made it a priority.

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